Prisoners of a Wizarding War
by Kid Dynamite 090
Summary: Post-BoH;Harry was killed by Voldemort and Hermione and Ginny among others are taken captive.Eventually, the two girls are taken in and must figure out who survived, where the survivors are and how to escape.authors note inside.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, readers! :)  
Here's a new HP fic similar to one I began but canned a while back. I don't know if I'll be continuing this regularly so please comment with critique and opinion :)  
Thank you.

Poor Hermione. Poor Hermione Granger.  
That's what people all in wizarding England were saying; at least, those who were left alone.

It was months since Hogwarts was the sight of the bitterest battle since the first Wizarding War. Many, many bloodied and battered bodies were strewn about the grounds. Bodies of the young and old, on the side of light and dark; there were bodies. However, what was more relevant was no so much the body count, but rather the side that emerged victorious.

No one expected Harry Potter to lose. No one expected Harry Potter to die.  
Almost all of Dumbledore's Army was slaughtered in cold blood. Each of the dead had been laid next to each other. By the dawns light, the parents of the children were summoned at wand point by the Death Eaters.  
All of them had to view at their brave little children in the dirt. Needless to say, it wasn't long before the adults were joining their kin lying in the same dirt.

But; not every one was dead.

Rather, a few were spared. Spared, but not safe. No where near safe.  
Hermione hadn't showered or eaten properly in days. Neither had Ginny. Both girls were starving and sick.  
"My brothers! Ginny moaned, "My brothers! All dead!"  
Hermione couldn't help but cry as Ginny sobbed out loudly.  
The two girls were alone, in a near pitch black dungeon and shackled to the wall. Occasionally, a heavy sounding door cracked open from the top of a stair case. Someone, they never saw who, would give them some water to drink and some bread or fruit in their mouths. If they were lucky, they were blindfolded tightly and brought to a loo out of the dungeon. They never saw where they were going.  
The last memory of any of the girls pre-capture was seeing Voldemort kill Harry. They saw the beam of neon green hit Harry's chest and the boy fall back, eyes open. There were screams mixed with the sick laughter of the Dark Lord's supporters. The next thing both girls felt were pain and then passing out, only to awake in the darkness.

By now the two girls had neither sense of time nor sense of day or night. Had it been days since their capture? Was it months? Was it years?  
There was no hope until one fateful say when the two girls heard the heavy dungeon door at the top of a cold staircase creak open. The two heard footsteps coming down.

It was Hermione who first felt a presence in front of her but saw no face. Rather, she felt something put into her right hand and another in left. Ginny was also given things.  
Could it- could it be?  
Hermione didn't wait until the person was gone. She felt something… it felt like a cup? Could it be!?  
Hermione quickly pulled the cup to lips and took a big gulp. It was water. Cold, fresh water.

Ginny too swallowed her cup of water in two large gulps and felt around the other items given to her. It was a basket. A basket of bread. She shoved a piece in her mouth and Hermione took a piece and followed suit.  
Bread and water.  
The bread was a bit old, stale; but edible. The girls were nearly crying as they ate every last crumb from the basket. After wards, Hermione felt at the other item she was given. It felt like paper. Like newspaper.  
"Ginny- Ginny feel this!"  
Ginny took the paper and put it very close to her face but there was no use. It was just too black to read.  
It was hours after their strange meal did a person return to them. This time, however, he spoke.  
"Get up," he said coldly.  
It took strength the girls did not have, but they managed to rise.  
Before he said anything else, the man put a heavy collar on each of the girls' necks which was connected to a chain (which he pulled). He pulled them along like dogs on leashed.  
Up the stairs the three went, and in honestly the girls were nearly blinded from the light outside the dungeon.

"What are you doing with us?" Ginny asked, very scared.

The man just grumbled.  
The two girls were lead down a hallway and outside where the Knight Bus was idling. It still must have been summer because even though it was nighttime outside, the air was cool even with the girls wearing only dirty, ragged clothing.

The girls were lead inside the Knight Bus, but rather than beds there were cold benches aboard the bus with other people sitting on them; with each person collared.  
"Sit down!" the man scowled forcing Ginny and Hermione to quickly find seating.  
It was Ginny who had a good look at the man. He was in death eater robes and mask, so all she could see was a scar on his chin.

After the girls were sitting down with their heavy collar chains free from grasp, the man tapped the buses door with his wand and as soon as it shut the bus was gone at light speed.

Inside, there was whimpering and the sound of chains being shifted among each other. The girls even managed to recognize some people; one of whom being a friend: Luna.  
Luna Lovegood sat across from Ginny. Her blonde hair was near matted and dirty and her eyes seemed to lack their normal curious luster. Simply put; the poor girl looked broken.  
"Luna!" Ginny and Hermione called in unison.  
The girl looked up and for a brief moment a light flickered in her eyes.  
"Hermione! Ginny! You're alive!" she cried in a horse voice.  
"So are you!" exclaimed Ginny, tears running down her dirty cheeks, "What happened?"  
Luna's face went sickly and she bit her lower lip before answering.  
"It was horrible. The Death Eaters… after they….killed Harry….they knocked out many of the students and even some adults."  
"What about Ron! Or my parents!"  
Luna shook her head.  
"I saw Ron trying to pull Harry's body away before I fainted… and your parents… I just don't know."  
The rest of their ride was in painful silence.  
Eventually, the bus did stop. It stopped in front of a large, decrepit mansion with a large, sprawling lawn.  
A new Death Eater tapped his wand on the door and yanked Ginny and Hermione back out.  
"I'll find them!" Luna screamed shrilly before the buses door slammed.  
Ginny and Hermione looked at each other in disbelief. The girls could hardly walk let alone survive more of what they'd been through.  
Walking up the lawn was near torture and the girls wanted to collapse when they finally were stopped at the door. The Death Eater knocked on the door and it almost immediately opened. The girls couldn't see the lone figure in the doorway.  
"Granger, Hermione and Weasley, Ginny," the Death Eater said and gave the girls' chains a hard yank to bring their faces into a ray of light from inside the house.

There was a bout of silence before the Death Easter said dumbly, "You didn't ask for no one else."  
The unknown figure rolled his eyes and took the chains from the man.  
Before he left, the Death Eater whispered in Hermione's ear, "Have fun in his bed."  
Hermione had shivers go down her spine and she was ready to beg for freedom and she and her redhead friend were brought into the house.  
The interior was dark, but the mansion was well lit.  
The two were lead into a shabby sitting room where they took seats on an old sofa. The unknown man didn't sit, but rather looked down at them standing.  
Upon seeing the unknown mans face the girls' eyes wide and their jaws dropped.  
Who was their captor now? A big nosed, greasy haired git with a pension for potions. A Mr. Severus Snape.  
"You!" Hermione gasped.  
"Yes, Miss Granger, I," Snape said in his usual cold and serious tone.  
"What-"  
"I do suppose you have an awful lot of questions," said the professor seriously with a hint of boredom.  
"Tell us!" begged Hermione.  
Snape could hardly stop the smirk forming on his face.  
The professor began to weave a very sad; and strange tale. He said that after Harry was dead, the Death Eaters rounded up some of the survivors, Hermione and Ginny included. Snape continued on to say that he did not know what was to happen to everyone or who was taken; but as a very important piece in Voldemorts victory Snape was given first choice of the captives.  
"…Why did you choose us?" Ginny asked.  
"I have my reasons…." Snape said aloofly.  
Remembering the Death Eaters words from just a few moments ago, Hermione sheepishly asked what the two girls would be doing.  
Snape looked sullen, but rather than bark out an order, he undid the girls' collars and led them upstairs to a room of good size with a few homey amenities and connecting bathroom.  
"Clean yourselves up."  
That was all Snape said before he left Hermione and Ginny alone. 


	2. Chapter 2

There was a dresser in the room the girls' were lead into. Inside was what looked like Hogwarts uniforms: black skirts and long sleeved button-down white shirts. In the lower drawers were two long dresses and what appeared to be nightgowns.  
"Hermione… what are we doing?" Ginny asked quietly as she pulled out a shirt.  
Hermione shook her head, unsure.  
"We'd better just get changed. Look, the sun is rising."  
The two, unsure of which outfit to choose, changed into their Hogwarts-esque outfit.  
About an hour later, Snape came back. After asking if the girls were decent, he came into their room.  
"What do you want from us?" Hermione asked.  
"I want you to not ask questions. Do what I say and do not question me. Understand?"  
"Yes," the girls said in unison.  
"Good. Now, I understand you aren't in the healthiest of conditions. Go to bed. Rest up and after you get some of your strength back you will begin what you are here for."  
Snape left the room, slamming the door behind him.  
Hermione and Ginny looked at each other and changed from their fresh fabrics to the nightgowns. There were two single beds at opposite ends of the room and even though they weren't the most comfortable beds, compared to cold dungeon floors they were like clouds.  
For three days the two girls mostly slept in and ate. Snape never seemed to be home and the two had free reign. The only hint of another human was the daily notes Snape left for them in the kitchen. They said nothing, really, except not to leave the house.

The two girls made their food and even were so bold as to read some books from Snape's library (however, the two found his taste in literature- potions, dark arts, more potions- too dark for their tastes).  
Eventually, Snape did come back into sight.

"I hope you've rested the last few days, because it's time for you to start working."  
Hermione and Ginny were sitting at the kitchen table when Snape told them their assignment.

Snape said that every day, from now on, he would bring things home and the girls were to take notes. That, and do the housework while he was away.  
The two were surprised. Paperwork? That's it? Not to be guinea pigs for potions and spells? _Paperwork?_

Just as Snape said, the next day he brought the girls a stack of files.  
"Granger! I want you to go over these files. Take down the name, age, birth date, death date, and last known location with other important details. Weasley! Clean the house."  
Snape was gone all day and came home around dusk. During the day, Hermione would sit at the kitchen table and read over the files, making the notes Snape asked for on parchment. Ginny would clean and the two would talk.  
"Why's he got you taking notes on people?" Ginny asked

"I don't know, but I'm noticing that most of these people were on our side of the battle," Hermione said miserably.  
Ginny looked at Hermione, "Anything about my parents or brothers?"  
Hermione shook her head and continued. Although, trying to keep Ginny's hopes up, she relayed that most of the people on the files were alive (but captive…) or missing.  
For about a week the girls had that system of working together. Snape would be gone by the time they got up, having taken the files Hermione already noted and replacing them with new files he brought when he came home (after the girls went to bed).

It wasn't until Saturday when the girls came downstairs and Snape was standing in the archway of the kitchen.  
"Tell me, do you girls appreciate your new lives?" Snape said.  
Ginny nodded, followed suit by Hermione.  
"Good," Snape walked around the girls like a snake circling prey.

"And do you like the safety these walls grant?"  
"Yes," the girls' said in unison.  
Snape came back to where he was in front of the girls.  
"Weasley," Snape said lowly and looked lazily at her, "I do believe you have chores to do."  
Ginny was reluctant to leave Hermione, but she didn't want to make the man mad. She left to the other room to dust.  
"Granger, go to your room and stay there."  
"But-"  
"Go!" Snape hissed.  
Hermione rushed back to her room and sat on her bed. She looked out the single window in the room and let her thoughts wander. Where her parents still blissfully unaware? What about Ron or the other Weasleys? And Luna? There were so many mysteries.

Eventually, Hermione fell into a nap and was only awaken by the sound of a shrill scream---


	3. Chapter 3

Disregarding Snape's orders, Hermione rushed from the bedroom and down to where she heard the scream. Plain as day she saw Ginny being yanked out the door.  
"Ginny! No!" cried Hermione as two large men pulled a crying Ginny out.  
Hermione ran toward the redhead and tried to pull her back in, but Hermione then felt energy hit her in the chest and she flew back, landing painfully on her backside.  
"Hermione!" Ginny screamed as one of the men gave her a final tug and she was out the door.  
As quickly as possible Hermione leaped to her feet and ran to the door. Outside, the two men held Ginny by both arms dragging her as she kicked and screamed to no avail.  
Hermione couldn't do a thing. He two men threw Ginny in the familiar Knight Bus and were gone in seconds.  
The long girl fell to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably. She was now truly alone.  
"Trying to save her?" came a sinister voice from behind.  
Hermione turned around and saw none other than Snape looking curiously amused.

"You bastard!" Hermione exclaimed and rose to her feet.  
"My, my, my Miss Granger. Such language."  
Hermione threw herself at Snape and beat her hands against his chest weakly as she continued to sob.

It didn't take much effort for Snape to push Hermione off him. She landed against a sofa.  
"Now, it's just you and I and it's almost dinner time. I suggest you get working on it," Snape said coldly and went to read a book.  
Hermione had never cooked before. And the only aid she had was a small cookbook. So, alone, Hermione toiled in the kitchen making a simple meal and tea. She made a simple meat and pasta dish.  
She and Snape ate dinner together at the kitchen table. Hermione refused to make eye contact.  
"Do you miss her?" Snape said eventually as he neared the clearing of his plate.  
"Yes-"  
"Look at me when you speak to me."  
"Yes, I do… Where is she?" Hermione asked as she looked in Snape's black eyes.  
Snape smirked but did not answer; rather, he spooned some pasta into his mouth.  
After dinner, Hermione cleared the table and had new files to note. It wasn't until around midnight did she finally go to bed.  
Sadly, Snape was still around when Hermione woke up. And he was there the next day, and the next day, and the next. Every morning was the same. Snape made breakfast (often poor toast and, if Hermione was lucky, some eggs with milk to drink) and after the two ate, Hermione cleaned up, she did some house work, she took care of a few files, then she made lunch, and repeated the pattern of cleaning up and files until dinner where the cycle repeated.  
By now it was around the middle of September and Hermione could see the fall season changing the landscape. How she longed to feel the autumn breezes caress her body and run along with her friends. She still had no news on Luna, Ginny or Ron or anyone else. Their files never came up.  
"Tell me Granger," Snape said one afternoon after dinner, sipping a glass of wine.  
"Have you found any persons of interest?"  
"No," Hermione said as she finished her days stack early.  
With serpents speed and precision, Snape got down to the bushy-haired girls eye level and took her cheeks with his hand giving her a 'fishy' or 'kissy' face.  
"I'm tired of your insolence, girl!" Snape hissed as he stared into her scared brown eyes.  
"I'm-I'm sorry!"  
"Damn right you are," Snape hissed and dug his fingers into her cheek before releasing her face and leaving.  
Hermione finished her chores as fast as she could and went to her room. Every time she saw Ginny's empty bed she was scared and saddened. Her hope in her friends' survival was waning; as was her hope for a normal life. The thought of being Snape's servant, doing his useless paper work and house chores, was creeping in more and more every day. Day by day Hermione's independent spirit waned and eventually, she was like a hollow shell and she had lose weight. It was now around the beginning of October.  
"Granger?"  
It was a Sunday morning and Snape was sipping a warm cup of tea in the living room area. Hermione was dressed in her Hogwarts-like outfit and, at her captors beckon call; she came in with a tray of small sandwiches.  
"Granger, "Snape said in a strangely smooth tone, "How long has it been since you've ventured outdoors?"  
"Since I was brought here, Professor."  
Hermione had grown much more docile in the weeks she was captive. Yes, she missed her friends dearly, but now she had to focus on her and her own survival.  
"How would you like to venture out?" Snape asked.  
Hermione almost dropped her platter and it hit the floor with a _bang! _ and sending little finger foods all on the floor_._  
"I- I would love to."  
"And…" Snape said as he seemed to relish the begging look in the girl's eyes, "What if you could meet Weasley and Lovegood again?"  
Hermione dropped the platter and got on her knees.  
"Please… please, sir!"  
Snape smiled a twisted smile and told Hermione that they were going out. To a party.

"Are we really, Professor…!?"  
"Oh yes, Granger."  
Snape stood up. After ordering her to clean up her mess, he told her to get change into one of the dresses she and Ginny saw in the dresser when they first came to the mansion.  
"Will I really see Ginny and Luna again?" Hermione asked.  
"Yes, Granger. You most certainly will."


	4. Chapter 4

The dress was a deep green and frilly at the bottom with a sweetheart bust. The only mirror in Hermione's room was in the bathroom, so she didn't see a full view of herself. She didn't have make-up and she didn't have many hair styling products. All she could do was let her hair down and brush it through.

By the afternoon Hermione was ready, as was Snape. Snape summoned Hermione downstairs. Snape was dressed in a slightly more formal version of his usual attire.  
"Ready?" Snape said.  
"How are we going?" Hermione asked.  
Snape put out his arm for Hermione to take, if not with a look of mild resilience. Hermione carefully took his arm and in a flash the two aperated out.  
In the next moment, Hermione saw herself in a beautifully decorated ballroom.  
"Severus," said a lazy, but amused voice.  
Lucius Malfoy strode over to greet his friend.

"I see you chose the mudblood," Lucius said, "Well I do hope she's worth her keep."  
The two men made small talk for a moment before Lucius ordered Hermione away into another room.  
Hermione felt so lost in this place, but at least what waited behind the door was friendly.  
"Hermione!"  
Two girls came flying at Hermione; a redhead and a blonde.  
"Ginny and Luna! You're safe!"  
Ginny wore a _very_ short dress that was redder than her hair and Luna was adorned in a floor length midnight slim gown.  
"Where did they take you?" Hermione asked.  
The three girls sat down in three chairs that stood in the otherwise empty room that was the size of a large walk-in closet.  
"I went to a new person," Ginny said, crossing her legs, "He's… alright."  
"And you?" Hermione asked as she looked at Luna.  
"I came directly here to the Malfoy family," Luna said, "It's not too bad. For the most part; they leave me alone so long as my duties are done."  
"What about you and Snape?" Ginny said bitterly.

"It's been… alright. I've taken up your chores and the files-"  
"Files!" Luna exclaimed in her misty voice.  
"Yes, Files. Snape has me take notes on files of people he brings home."  
"Remember when I said I would find out what happened to Ron?" Luna asked.  
Hermione's and Ginny's eyes widened.  
"He's alive; I overheard Mr. Malfoy talk about him. Apparently, he escaped from his own captivity."  
"What's going on out there?" Hermione asked, "I haven't been outside the house until now…"  
"As far as I can tell; muggle borns and other undesirables are being sent as slaves to pureblood families," Ginny said.  
The girls spent most of the night in that room. They didn't eat and it wasn't until well in the night were they summoned.  
Ginny and Luna was sent to the kitchen to serve food and drinks to the other guests. Hermione was taken by Snape.

"Come, Granger," Snape said as he led the girl from the ballroom and outside.  
The evening was chilly, but not cold and the stars were bright.  
"Do you miss him, Granger?" Snape asked.  
"Who, Professor?"  
"Ronald Weasley."  
"…Yes. I miss him and I miss Harry and the others."  
Snape inhaled deeply.  
"Well."  
Hermione kept her head down.  
"Well what if I could tell you I could reunite you?"  
Hermione looked up at Snape with a look of longing.  
"C-could you really-"  
"Possibly."  
"Please, Professor, please. I just want to see them all again," Hermione said desperately as tears began to roll down her cheeks.  
"Come now, don't cry," Snape said coldly.

Hermione wiped her tears away.  
"Tell me, Granger, what would you do to reunite yourself with the others?"  
"A-anything, sir."  
"Anything…?"


	5. Chapter 5

"It will not be easy, Granger; and will involve releasing yourself from the safety of my holdings,"  
Truth be told, even in a daily routine Hermione never did feel 'safe' in the gloomy mans holdings.  
"I'll do anything."  
Snape seemed to sneer a bit.  
"You won't be well equipped. Books and memorization won't do you and favors nor good. And an insufferable know-it-all such as yourself may no be up to par with the mission."  
Hermione balled her fists and just released everything; holding nothing back.

"You know what!" she said loudly, but not quite a yell, "I've everything to asked of me without so much as a sigh and this is what you say! You're a disgrace to humanity you cold bastard!"  
With cat-like reflexes Snape grabbed Hermione's wrists and pulled her so close she could feel his breath on her face.  
"Listen mudblood," Snape hissed, as he dug his nails into her skin, "I've risked myself so that you and your friends wouldn't be executed like Potter or the others and this is what you say!"  
Snape sneered and stared Hermione right in the eye for a moment before loosening his grip; but only just a bit.

"At exactly 1 AM tonight you and the Weasley girl are going to… vanish," Snape said coldly.  
"What about Luna?" Hermione asked, suspiciously.  
"You were lost on Malfoy's grounds so I'll be taking the leftover girl in your place."  
Hermione turned her head looking back into the party. There was a band playing the most elegant of music most masterfully performed and various couples, including Lucius and Narcissa, were dancing to the smooth notes.

"Where will we go?" she asked, looking back to Snape.  
"From what I can tell; there are a few Order and allied survivors. Where they are I cannot say but I know they will be in no previous safe locations," Snape's demeanor seemed to change from cold and serious to stern, yet cocky as he coolly remarked, "You were the 'smart' one of your little trio. Now's the ultimate time to prove it."  
Hermione was determined. When she and Snape reentered the party she found Ginny and Luna in the kitchen. When she was sure the three were alone, she carefully explained the plan.  
"We can't leave Luna," Ginny said sternly as she looked over to their blonde friend, "We were separated once-"  
"Ginny I don't like it either," Hermione said, "But Snape is probably the best choice. Luna? Are you ok with that?"  
"He can't be any worse than Mr. Malfoy," Luna said almost as if she was dreaming.

It was about 12:45 when the girls really began feeling anxious. Snape had slipped Hermione a wand, who's she didn't know, and was told that on his command the two girls were to find a way, but leave Luna in the crowd of dancers.

Reluctantly, when Snape gave the signal, a silent look at Hermione with a furrowed brow, the two girls slipped to the front door and picked the magical locks and ran as quick as they could out the door and down the sprawling lawn in the cold blackness.  
At the end of the lawn the girls could hear a commotion starting inside the house. What, exactly, was the root of the distraction the girls couldn't be bothered to figure it out.  
"Where are we going?" Ginny called anxiously as and Hermione just kept running.  
"I don't know…! We need to find a muggle town!"  
It wasn't easy, that wasn't.  
The two ran aimlessly all through the night and only found a muggle town when the first rays of sun cracked the dark horizon. By the time their tired and dirty feet brought them deep into the towns' center, the two wanted to collapse.  
"I guess we should rest here," Hermione said as she and Ginny made their way into an alley.  
"We can't just sleep here," Ginny said as she took her shoes off and rubbed her sore feet, "We'll be caught in an instant."  
"I don't think we should try aperating. We're too tired," Hermione yawned out.

"We need to get back to London. I'm sure the others will be there," Ginny said.  
"That's good, but I don't know how we can get there in this state. We don't exactly blend in well."  
The two were still in their evening gowns and all they had with them was a wand. But even that was risky since neither girl knew what strange curses or jinxes the Death Eaters placed on certain spells.  
Even if it wasn't the best of choices, the girls did end up falling asleep in the alley as they heard the morning bustle being on the street. It was almost calming; the sound of people and activity. In Snape's mansion, there was scarcely a sound louder than a small conversation.  
The girls didn't sleep for too long. Eventually, that calming morning bustle became loud and painfully impossible to sleep with.  
With bags under their eyes, grease in their hair and still aching from their flight, the girls had no choice but to move on.

Hermione and Ginny walked almost in a trance, looking only at street signs looking for something to point them to London. Even the jeers and wolf whistles were paid nothing. The girls were still tired and every step was taking more and more of an effort and Ginny even brought up maybe trying to sleep again in an alley. But thankfully, aid made itself know.  
"Excuse me, ladies?"  
The two girls turned and saw a police car pulled next to them.  
"Officer," Hermione said groggily.  
"We've gotten some calls about you two wandering around. You need some help?" the officer asked.  
He was young and handsome.  
"London," Hermione said, "London."  
"I need to take your ladies home. Where do you live?"  
"London," Ginny said, but a bit more forcefully.

"London is a fair ride away from here," the officer said with a bit of curiosity in his eyes, "How'd you ladies end up here?"  
"We'll tell you on the way," Ginny said.  
Like when Ginny and Hermione first laid in their beds at Snape's mansion, a similar feeling came over them when they sat in the back of the police car. It wasn't comfortable, but it was what they needed.  
"So tell me," the officer said as he drove," How'd you ladies get here?"  
Hermione had her head back and was falling asleep, leaving Ginny to answer.  
"We were at a party and we left looking for some friends who lived here and we got lost."  
The officer didn't believe a word the redhead said.  
"You know I can take you girls-"  
"Listen," Ginny said in a deadly serious tone, "We just need to go to London. We're meeting up with my brother."  
Perhaps it was the officers naïve nature. Perhaps he felt bad for the girls. Perhaps it was because he was already driving out of the town. Whatever the reason; he drove the girls to London as they napped in the backseat.  
The officer dropped them off not too far from the Leaky Cauldron and bid them good-luck and urged them to call the authorities if they needed help. Hermione wanted to just tell him they were about as good as fugitives in their world; but rather she thanked him and she and Ginny, once more, tried to plan their movements after the police car drove away.

"Snape said any survivors won't be where we used to gather," Hermione said.

"It'll be like finding ghosts…"  
"Ghosts! That's it!" Hermione exclaimed.  
"What-"  
"We need to get to Godric's Hollow," Hermione said as she began walking.  
"Why?" Ginny asked.  
"The Potters house. Harry and I visited it last Christmas Eve."  
There was a mild stinging sensation both girls felt as they walked. Neither of them had the time nor sense of mind to ponder about Harry. And they felt horrible for it.  
Harry was their best friend and the savior of their world. And now he was gone. Hermione saw no better place for the Order to assemble. The two stayed silent as they walked along. It began to really sink in that they were alone, at least for now. Hermione's family was sent off and away and were unaware they even had a daughter and Ginny didn't know if she even had any parents anymore.

It took a while but eventually the girls did get to the most ancient neighborhood. For the first time did Ginny see the ancient remains of the Potter house, the statute erected in their memory, and shadows. Shadows not of the dead, but of people.  
"Hermione…!" Ginny grabbed her friend's arm and pointed to a huddle of people far away.  
Without thinking, which was strange for Hermione, the two ran. Ran toward the huddle. It was a now or never moment. If it wasn't the Order well---- the girls were hoping it was the Order.  
"You're alive!" screamed Hermione in tears as she saw a mess of fire-red hair among the group.  
Everyone's jaws dropped open when they saw the two crying girls in party gown.  
"Hermione! Ginny!" cried Ron as he pushed others out of the way and hugged both girls.  
"I thought you were dead!" cried Ginny onto her brothers shoulder.  
"I was so worried!" shrieked Hermione.  
"It's ok, we're all ok," Ron said shakily.  
It was now that the two girls finally saw who survived.  
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were present; so were Hagrid and Neville. There were a few other people as well; and when Ginny asked if they were it, it was explained that other survivors fled away already.  
"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked as she stayed in Ron's arms.  
"We're doing the only thing we can; we're leaving," Mr. Weasley said solemnly.  
"What?" Ginny exclaimed, "How can we just leave? We left Luna-"  
"There are other people searching for survivors," the redheaded man said again.

"So that's it? We leave?" Hermione asked hopelessly.  
There was a long, cold pause.  
"All we really can do," Hagrid said, "You-Know-Who is out n' about now and there ain't nothin' we can do now but save ourselves."  
Hermione and Ginny saw no hope in arguing and frankly they were too tired to fight.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked.  
"Far away," Mrs. Weasley said.  
"What about Harry?" Ginny asked, not being able to talk about the body itself.  
"In the chaos we managed to get his body out. We buried him here," Neville said quietly.  
Hermione and Ginny looked at some loose and disturbed earth near the monument.  
"Is everyone ready?" Mr. Weasley said.  
"Are we ever coming back?" Hermione asked.  
"Perhaps, but right now our numbers are too thin," he said.

"My parents-"  
"We think it best to leave them in their current state," said Mr. Weasley, cutting off Hermione.  
It was a bittersweet moment for the two girls.  
For months they tried to find out about their missing friends and relatives and now it was a strange moment. Now they were leaving their homes and lives, running from the ultimate evil. Where would they go? How would they live? At that very moment the girls- well, nobody really- knew what to expect when everyone linked arms and Mr. Weasley apperated them away to a new life; leaving nothing but a lonely memorial to true heroes and some footprints behind.


End file.
